FSB NI - Our new MLAs need to engage and deliver

FSB NI is calling on the newly elected MLAs to engage directly with the small business community to understand the role a new Assembly can play in maximising economic opportunity, inviting all of them to come and meet SMEs in the FSB Business and Agri Pavilion at the Balmoral Show.
By The Newsroom
Published 7th May 2022, 11:28 BST

FSB NI say that amid uncertainty over the formation of a new Executive, combined with plummeting levels of trust in the power-sharing institutions, and a vicious cycle of rising costs, this engagement will enable newly-elected representatives to connect directly with rural business owners and hear first-hand how Stormont can create the right conditions for business and economic growth.

FSB’s Election Manifesto identified many challenges facing SMEs and set out clearly the urgent actions an incoming Executive needs to take to deliver on the multiple issues that are affecting business. Nurturing Northern Ireland’s rural businesses, which span a vast range of sectors, will be key to unlocking the potential of the rural economy.

Head of FSB NI Roger Pollen said: “The FSB Business and Agri Pavilion is one of the key trade spaces at Balmoral and houses over 50 agri-related businesses, so it is a perfect place to engage with rural business owners and employers. Our invitation to the newly elected MLAs provides them a fitting opportunity to understand exactly what must be prioritised by the new administration to ensure that our 6,000 business-owning members – and all SMEs here in Northern Ireland - can achieve their ambitions.

“FSB’s Manifesto, ‘Unfinished Business’, is the culmination of a comprehensive consultation process with our members, amongst which, one of their key demands is the delivery of better government.

“They want the incoming Executive to deliver stable administration and quickly focus on the massive tasks that need to be accomplished.

“Developing these strong foundations is central to our call to prioritise People, Finance and Sustainability.”

Continuing Roger Pollen said: “It is vital that businesses know what to expect from the new mandate if they are to create opportunities for investment and employment and help reverse the economic damage of recent years.

“This invitation to MLAs to engage with FSB and its members will provide a platform upon which the power of true collaboration can be based so that small businesses are at the heart of the legislative agenda.”

Related topics:SMEsMLAs